RAINFALL AND MOISTURE. 79 



over the islands of Vestrealen towards the east. That of 

 7*5 mm. passes over Tromso and South Varaoger. 



The annual variations of the aqueous vapour tension 

 accords well with those of the temperature of the air, 

 and especially with those of the sea. At all the stations 

 the greatest quantity of vapour is found in August, and 

 the least in winter. 



The most considerable variation of aqueous tension 

 manifests itself on the Christiania fiord, on the eastern 

 part of the country, and on the Drontheim fiord, where it 

 amounts to 7 mm. The least variation is seen along the 

 west coast where, from the Jsederan to Vadso, it keeps 

 itself within 5 and 5'5 mm. ; on the coasts of the Rems- 

 dal it is still less. In this respect the contrast between 

 the continental climate and that of the coast manifests 

 itself in the same way as the annual variation seen in the 

 atmospheric temperature. On the high mountains of the 

 Dovrefjeld both the quantities and the variations are less 

 than they would be at the level of the sea. 



The diurnal variation on the west coast is conformed to 

 that of the temperature. At Christiania, on the contrary, 

 the maximum tension is in the evening, which is especially 

 remarkable in summer, when the diurnal variation is 

 greatest. 



The mean relative humidity of the year is greatest at 

 Vardo, 85 per cent., and also on the coast from Mandel to 

 Skudesnses, being more than 80 per cent. It is a little less at 

 Tromso, Christiansand, Alesund, and Bergen, 78 to 79 per 

 cent., and it falls to 72 per cent, at Christiania. As a 

 general rule, there the relative humidity is greater on the 

 coast than in the interior of the country. It seems to be 

 the same in Sweden, the coast of which, on the Baltic, 

 shows a humidity very great compared with that of 

 Norway. 



In winter it is the west coast of Norway, from Cape 

 Stat to the North Cape, which shows relatively least 

 humidity,. while this goes on augmenting steadily towards 



